1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to couplings and more particularly to a new and improved coupling for interconnecting plural tubes and a method of forming the coupling.
2. Background of the Invention
Apparatuses and processes have been well known in the art throughout history for moldings a new object. In primitive molding processes, a mold cavity was formed within a mold to form a new object. The mold cavity was cut into the mold in the shape of the new object. A liquefied material was poured into a mold cavity to solidify within the mold cavity. After the solidification of the liquefied material, the mold was opened to release the solidification material formed in the shape of the new object.
In the event one desired to reproduce an old object, a mold was formed about the old object. The mold was separated into two or more pieces to release the old object leaving a mold cavity in the shape of the old object. The liquefied material was poured into a mold cavity to solidify within the mold cavity. Upon the opening of the mold, the reproduction of the old object was released from the mold. If the carefully opened or formed in two pieces, then the mold could be reused multiple times for producing multiple reproduction.
In the event the reproduction required a hollow portion, a core would have to be placed within the mold cavity to form the hollow portion upon filling the mold cavity with the liquefied material. Upon opening of the mold, the core in many instances would interfere with the removal of the reproduction from the mold cavity.
Although the art of molding object has progressed substantially from primitive times, process of removing the core from a mold cavity after formation of the reproduction is still a problem in the molding art. In many modern molding processes, a mold is formed with a core pin extending into the mold cavity during the mold process. After completion of the molding process, the core pins is withdrawn from the mold cavity prior to opening the mold. The withdrawal of the mold pin enables the reproduction to be released from the mold cavity.
In some instances, it is impossible to withdraw a core pin from a mold cavity prior to opening the mold. In these instances, the problem of removing the reproduction from the mold cavity after the molding process is still a problem in the molding art. The following U.S. patents have attempted to solve the problem heretofore stated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,282 to J. N. Scott et al. discloses a molded article comprising a hollow body of a crosslinked polymer rotationally molded around a section of at least one piece of non-crosslinked conduit. The conduits protrude from the hollow body, made by attaching the conduits of non-crosslinked material at the desired location to the mold with the section being located inside a heated section of the mold so that the crosslinkable polymer during a rotational molding process is fused and crosslinked inside of the mold and around and in tight welding-type connection with the section. The remainders of the pieces of uncrosslinked polymer are heat-insulated to avoid deformation or collapsing of these pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,114 to H. T. Jones et al. discloses a molded buswork and method of manufacturing the buswork, including a conductive T-shaped member having openings at the ends and insulated cables having the insulation at the ends of the cables stripped away to expose the ends of the conductors. An individual exposed conductor is crimped in each open end of the conductive member. The conductive member is supported in a cavity mold by the cables. The cavity mold is filled with a thermal-setting silicone rubber and the silicone rubber curing in the mold encapsulates and bonds to the conductive member, the exposed ends of the conductors, and the insulation on each cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,769 to S. Hopperdietzel discloses a connector for heatable hoses and a heatable hose assembly for transporting fluids. The heatable hose assembly includes at least one heatable hose having a hose wall which defines therein a longitudinal cavity, a first end, and at least one heating wire having a first portion embedded in the hose wall and extending longitudinally therein. A second portion which is an exposed length having a contacting portion extends from the first portion and a connecting portion extends from the contacting portion. A heat-insulated connector comprises a connecting element and a heating wire connecting member. A casing, wherein the connecting element is made of a heat conductive material has at least one hose insertion end inserted into the longitudinal cavity of the first end and at least one projecting portion extending outwardly from at least one hose insertion end. The contacting portion is positioned in contact with the at least one projecting portion. The connecting portion is connected to the heating wire connecting member. The heating wire connecting member has a first portion and a second portion. The casing is made of an insulating material positioned around the connecting element, the first portion of the heating wire connecting member and a portion of the first end to encase same and prevent release thereof. The second portion of the heating wire connects member projects outwardly through the casing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,419 to Y. Shibata et al. discloses a method for fastening soft porous polymer tubes into a fastening seat. Remolding the tube ends by compression removes porosity before insertion into the seat or pressure insertion of a hard, strong tube into each porous tube after insertion into the fastening seat to compress it. An adhesive is used to fill the seat to hold the tubes in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,998 to J. H. Stanley discloses a branched hose construction containing a rigid insert having at least three legs. There is a plurality of hoses with the number of hoses being equal to the number of legs of the insert. Each hose has one end fitted over a leg of the insert. A securing means secures the hose to the leg. A molded saddle encapsulates the rigid insert and the junction of the hoses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,213 to D. Traner et al. discloses a method of assembling a connection for branched radiator coolant hose in which the hoses to be connected are adhered onto the ends of a T-shaped connector. Then a capsule of rubber is molded around the area of the connection and cured to form a unitary and integral connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,839 to C. Mogavero discloses a connection for flexible tubes including a rigid tubular insert with at least two ends onto which the ends of flexible tubes are force-fitted. A cover of plastics material is moulded over the tubular insert and over the ends of the tubes. At least one respective integral, circular sealing lip projects from the internal surface of the end of each tube and engages the external surface of the corresponding end of the insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,336 to V. Hartel et al. discloses a method for producing molded hose branches of rubber. A molded hose branch produced according to the method, includes slipping completely vulcanized rubber hose lengths with ends onto free ends of a plastic tubing branching piece for forming an assembly. Placing the assembly into a mold, and injection molding a thermoplastic rubber material in the form of a blended mixture of polypropylene and EPDM around the assembly joins the thermoplastic material to the rubber hose lengths for forming a sleeve around the rubber hose lengths and free parts of the tubing branching piece between the ends of the rubber hose lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,587 to K. Mitsui et al. discloses a process for producing a hose having a connecting portion including the steps of a connecting step, and a molding step. In the molding step, a dividable mold is employed in which a first sealing member and a second sealing member are retained so as to form a sealing ring. The sealing ring firmly retains a hose in the mold without pinching and damaging it. Further, the mating surfaces of the first sealing member and the second sealing member are disposed so as to deviate from the center of the sealing ring. Furthermore, a chucking member adapted for locally pressing the hose is disposed adjacent to the sealing ring. Moreover, a recessing portion communicating with the cavity of the mold by way of a narrow passage is formed and the first minimum pressure of the molding material, enabling to pass through the narrow passage, is set less than the sealing pressure exerted between the sealing ring and the hose and is set more than the second minimum pressure thereof, to inhibit the short shot failures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,341 to V. Hartel et al. discloses a molded hose branch of rubber including an assembly formed by slipping completely vulcanized rubber hose lengths with ends onto free ends of a plastic tubing branching piece. The assembly is placed into a mold, and a thermoplastic material, for instance a blended mixture of polypropylene and EPDM, is injection molded around the assembly so as to join the thermoplastic material to the rubber hose lengths. This results in a sleeve around the rubber hose lengths and free parts of the tubing branching piece between the ends of the rubber hose lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,949 to M. Andre discloses tubes or pipes engaged on an insert and are fixed thereon in sealed manner by molding a plastics material at least over those zones of said tubes or pipes that co-operate with said insert. The plastics material is molded so as to form a cellular material whose expansion is performed so as to give rise to compression forces on said tubes or pipes that ensure that said tubes or pipes are fixed or sealed onto the insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,036 to D. Zimmer et al. discloses a device useful for extrusion-coating a tube. The connection zone of a tubular composite body, which zone has to be sealed, with rubber or plastic. The device is particularly useful for extrusion-coating a hose connection, which includes a connection pipe made of rubber or plastic, onto which the rubber or plastic hose section is pushed. It is essential that the device, in addition to the fixed molding tool contour with injection nozzles, has at least one, in particular at least two slide clamps per circumferential unit. This enables the sealing surface of the slide clamp substantially to have the contour of the surface of the article directly opposing it in the sealing zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,695 to W. W. Rowley discloses an invention described herein pertaining generally to a crosslinked plumbing tube which has at least one overmolded end (e.g. nose cone or nut) attached thereto. In one aspect of this invention, the tube is more rigid than the overmolded component while in another aspect of the invention, the tube is more flexible than the overmolded component. In either embodiment of this invention, the tube provides an all-plastic waterway for a contained liquid or gas to flow through. The degree of flexibility is controlled independently controlling the density of the tube polymer and the overmolding polymer. In one aspect of the invention, the tube and the overmolding polymer are both partially crosslinked to independent first degrees prior to the overmolding process. Subsequent to the overmolding process, the crosslinking is continued to a higher degree for both polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,265 to S. R. Warburton-Pitt et al. discloses a connector and tubing assembly including a multi-lumen molded connector having at least three flexible tubes also molded into the connector. The connector may be “Y” shaped and include three flexible tubes. A process of making the connector and tubing assembly involves forming a first part of the connector with two tubes molded therein and then removing an internal mold member prior to molding the final connector portion and third tube in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,331 to K. M. Krause et al. discloses molded hose joint assemblies, e.g., connections, branched hoses and bleeding devices for fluid circuits. Such assemblies for use in automotive and industrial coolant circuit assemblies, comprise a reduced amount of molded outer covering element over prior art designs. The covering element substantially encapsulates the connection points of generally flexible hose ends to generally rigid inner connection members. The outer covering element forms a unitary mass or interconnecting rings about at least two such hose connection points. Flexible manufacturing techniques for producing such assemblies are provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,345 to S. R. Warburton-Pitt discloses a method for forming, in a single step, a silicone manifold interconnecting a plurality of silicone tubes by providing a silicone insert piece having a network of interior channels dimensioned the same as the silicone tube interiors. Solid non-silicone plugs are inserted into the insert piece and the ends of the silicone tubes and the resulting assembly is placed in a mold cavity. Liquid silicone is added to the mold cavity and is then heated and cured to form the desired manifold interconnecting the tubes. The manifold is then removed from the mold and a source of pressurized air is used to blow out the plugs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,836 to K. M. Krause et al. discloses molded hose joint assemblies, e.g., connections, branched hoses and bleeding devices for fluid circuits, and especially such assemblies for use in automotive and industrial coolant circuit assemblies. The assemblies comprise a reduced amount of molded outer covering element over prior art designs. The covering element substantially encapsulates the connection points of generally flexible hose ends to generally rigid inner connection members. The outer covering element forms a unitary mass or interconnecting rings about at least two such hose connection points. Flexible manufacturing techniques for producing such assemblies are provided.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved process of molding a coupling that overcomes the problems of the molding processes set forth above
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved process of molding a coupling that is capable of removing a core pin after formation of the coupling.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved process of molding a coupling that is capable of forming new and improved coupling configurations.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment of the invention.